Trapped Betta Fish

patriciatNovember 18, 2006

Hi, I recently arrived at home and my Betta was trapped inside the coral (decoration)... it was not easy but we were able to rescue him, after breaking the decoration. He looks really hurt and tired, but he is swimming. Not often, but he is reacting to water movement.

We stopped the filter because it was making him swimming and it seems to be a lots of effort for him to be "quiet" and he for sure needs to rest a little.

I hope he will be OK, since Betta's are fighting fishes, but I am concerned.. :o( His body has more damage than his fins.. and his eyes looks kind of "blown"..

It happened like 30 minutes ago and he does not wants to eat, which I think it is normal. After how long without eating I should get worry?

Is there any product that I can add to the water that may help him recover from the "scratchs"??

Morphing survived this night!!.... Now it has passed about 18 hours that we "rescued" him from the coral.. He's very quiet, but responsive.. If I tap the acuarium, he comes up and "says hi".. his fins are ok. The popped eye looks muuch better!!..

Any tips on what can we do to help him?
He does not wants food.
He likes the filter on, but then he has to make lots of effort to swim.. and it looks like he needs to rest, so we turn it off.

A live plant, or silk (anything plastic can tear fins) will allow him a resting place at his choice of spot, ie can rest near water surface on top of leaf, pick broad leaved plant, sword or silk type. don't have to plant sword, if it goes bad just replace with fresh one. If you can find Annubias even better.

I put sponge filter thingy on both my intake and outtake of filter (Eclispe) for my betta and reduce turbulance to where it is comfortable for him. Plants, ceramic snail shell - no getting stuck as it has a huge opening, and one happy guy.

Also a bit of aquarium salt, and I have had good results with betta version of melefix (tea tree oil, which I used for myself as well in past) Some swear by it, some don't.

When you say coral, you mean fake right? If not then not good for him. (unless you are raising low ph, and then best done by putting in filter and watching hardness/ph carefully) edges are way to sharp for a betta. Their fins tear very easily, setting them up for disease. Also, make sure there are no sharp edges from anything. I use a glass black coffee cup as a cave, which my rescue betta really likes. Sits on top, goes inside so on.

When you say, popped eye, do you mean punctured, or extended from it's socket?

As skygee notes, clean water. I syphon off bottom every other day or so, or you can use turkey baster... as there fins if they rest on bottom get bulk of bacteria. Only a little. Water going in, I trickle slow with teeny air tubing, same ph et al. The salt will help. Mix seperately first and trickle in near filter to disburse slowly.... (the site I list below, go to how to house a betta, and health disease so on.. list salt amount for diff sizes of holdings)

A lower water line temporarily (if large enough space to begin with) might help if he is having trouble swimming to the top. I have also extended the filter tube by adding larger tubing (found at hardware store) so that only the bubble are near the top. Or you can use those smaller filter type cartriges (built all in one) and just place it up higher to reduce turbulence. For a rescue scooter, I have him in large round bowl, with low water since it is extremely hard for him to swim... just scoots (swim bladder disease and were going to flush him at store)... I put diff size river rocks (rounded) and plants, and same filter on its side going up side of bowl. He scoots all over the place, and rests at night near filter on top of rock. (in larger container with heater) Just be creative, lol.. you'll think of a solution. Best and good luck. Sherry